Is the Premier League the Most Competitive League in the World?

The age old debate of which league is the most competitive in the world is back for another instalment. Pundits everywhere share different opinions on the matter, but the English Premier League appears to always be part of the narrative. Here, we will discuss whether or not England’s top flight is the hardest league to play in in the world. 

The Premier League has become known for humbling some of the world’s brightest stars. In a long list of names, some that come to mind include Radamel Falcao, Timo Werner, Claudio Bravo, and even Kai Havertz initially (who has now managed to find immense form). This is perhaps the first indicator that points to the fact that the Premier isn’t quite like any other. 

What’s more is that the Premier League is known for its physicality. All leagues throughout the world are known for some sort of big identifier. In Italy, you can expect defensive masterclasses. In Spain, you can see attacking football in all its glory. In Germany, you can expect precision, and in England, you can expect bone crunching tackles and plenty of body play. 

As a result, those that aren’t up to the physical task tend to find life in England pretty difficult. The likes of Granit Xhaka, Shkrodan Mustafi, and a handful of others are unfortunate examples of this. It’s usually the bigger, stronger players who relish their opportunities in the EPL, as it is better suited to their ability both on and off the ball. 

The Premier League is also very well known for its brutal speed. Attacks can be broken down, and with the bat of an eyelid, the team that was once closing in on goal are mourning the conceding of a goal. Players like Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, and Pierre Emerick Abaumayeng, who each shared a golden boot award not too long ago are proof of this. 

The players that are perhaps a little less athletic, and slower, tend to have an absolutely tumultuous time against the likes of the men who have been mentioned in the paragraph before. 

An even better measure of how competitive the Premier League is, is to take a look at how the top teams fare in wider European competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League. As it stands, the reigning champions of the Champions League are of course Chelsea, but it’s also a really telling exercise to establish which of the Premier League teams made it far in the competition. 

We cannot forget that while Chelsea were the team to bring home Europe’s biggest honor, it was Manchester City that they beat in the final, meaning that the event was an all English affair. It is rather rare for this type of thing to happen, considering just the sheer number of different teams that take part in the competition. 

This was shown again in the 2019 instalment of the Champions League final, that saw Liverpool face Tottenham in the final encounter of the competition. 

Another source of interest comes from the various soccer betting sites from South Africa to Malta, who have placed 4 English teams in the top 6 teams who are favourites in the list of teams to win the Champions League this season. 

Based on these factors, it’s clear that the Premier League is without doubt one of the more competitive leagues. But is it the most competitive? It is often referred to as this, and with the clear examples of how certain players have dazzled other leagues but have not been able to replicate the same form in the EPL, along with the performances of English teams in the Champions League are all evidence of this.